A career as an immigration officer calls for an expertise in matters such as the law, refugees and human rights. The first step to pursuing such a career path is making sure you're aware of the typical training requirements. Potential immigration officers have to be willing to undergo extensive training for the job. College degrees can be advantageous for candidates, too.

Training Through Education

Aspiring immigration officers at a minimum need to have high school degrees. Having a bachelor's degree can be beneficial for candidates looking to stand out from the rest of the pack. Relevant degree programs such as languages, political science and criminal science can go a long way to help individuals land desired immigration officer jobs, according to author Reeves Diane Lindsay.

Training Yourself

Gaining an expertise in key topics that are important in immigration can serve as useful training for future immigration officers. If you're still in high school, you might want to pursue courses in foreign languages, global history, psychology and information technology, for example. If you're out of high school, you can consider taking classes in these subjects at your local community college. Working in immigration entails knowing a lot about the rest of the world, which is why it is important to educate yourself by watching the news and reading newspapers. While you're working to educate yourself in these matters, it's also smart to work on your interpersonal abilities. Work as an immigration officer calls for interaction with many types of people, including those who are in the midst of stressful and difficult situations.

Training Courses for Candidates

When you apply for a job as an immigration officer, training is imperative. These programs often last for as long as 2.5 months, although some are shorter at just a month. The training is based on what kind of position you're looking to secure. Individuals who want to go into adjudication, for example, generally have to train for one month. Adjudication refers to a procedure that involves the establishment of judicial decisions. If you wish to work with refugees, your training will be more extensive.

Subjects in Immigration Officer Training

Training for a career as an immigration officer is extensive and diverse, with broad topics ranging from customer service to much more specialized and specific information in subjects such as the legalities of immigration, naturalization, interacting with people of different cultural backgrounds, identifying contraband, rights for people around the planet and asylum in the United States, just to start. This training also delves into the many specific responsibilities, tasks and duties that are part of these careers. Typical activities of immigration officers include everything from assessing applications from immigrant hopefuls to conducting detailed background checks.